1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to swimming pool construction, of the type wherein a sectional, prefabricated swimming pool wall is erected about an excavation, and supports a vinyl liner. Typically, the edge of the liner is engaged in a liner clamp incorporated in a coping and coping receptor assembly mounted upon the sectionally formed wall.
In a more particular sense, the invention relates to the construction of the panels that make up the swimming pool wall, and in yet a more particular sense, the invention relates to forming said panels in such a way as to produce swimming pool configurations of different shapes and sizes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore, in swimming pools of the type described above, it has been proposed to incorporate in the wall construction a capability for varying the shapes and sizes of a swimming pool, according to the desires of the customer for whom the pool is being erected.
Various concepts have been disclosed for this purpose, but in general, they have for one reason or another not found widespread commercial acceptance. In some instances, it has been proposed that panels be of curved formation, and this has been found undesirable because the pre-curved panels are expensive to make and fail to take account of the fact that in abutting a panel curved to one radius against a panel curved to another radius, the side edges of the panels will not be in full face-to-face contact, and would require the insertion of shims between the confronting side edges of the panels, or the use of other equally undesirable expedients.
It has also been proposed to provide panels between which wedge elements are interposed, for the purpose of disposing adjacent panels at selected angles to each other. This, however, has the disadvantage of requiring an excessive number of wall components, and in addition requires extra long connecting bolts between adjacent panels, creating a tendency toward loosening the connections between such panels, precise fitting of the wedge elements, and very importantly, the use of excessive time on the part of the labor crew at the site at which the swimming pool is being constructed.
It has been proposed, additionally, in the construction of hot tubs, to utilize staves of solid construction, having side edges disposed at angles such as to produce a circular tub when the staves are assembled with one another. However, the utilization of solid staves would be impractical for the construction of swimming pools, since swimming pools must have means for directly connecting the adjacent, abutting portions of adjacent wall panels or wall sections directly to each other in a strong, rigid assembly which, by reason of being subsequently back-filled and hence below the ground surface, must in the final analysis be considered as capable of standing up without deterioration, on a permanent basis.
The main object of the present invention is to provide a wall system for swimming pools, which will afford an unlimited number of pool sizes and shapes, utilizing no more than perhaps six or seven basic, modular wall panels.
Another important object is to provide a modular wall system of the character described which will include wall panels that are relatively light, and yet will have great strength, as well as the capability of resisting deteriorative forces occurring by reason of the in-ground installation of the swimming pool, as well as forces resulting from the filling of the pool with water and the normal use of the pool over an indefinite period of time.
Still another object is to provide a capability for forming a wide variety of pools of different shapes and sizes from a relatively few wall panels, while still permitting construction of the pool with a relatively small work force, that will still be able to complete construction of a swimming pool over no greater a length of time than has heretofore been required for swimming pools not having the desirable features of the present invention.